


Star Wars Episode X: Of Worlds Between

by ArSommers



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Fix-It, Let's tie in the prequels a bit more too, One Shot, Reylo - Freeform, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 6,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24012298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArSommers/pseuds/ArSommers
Summary: After the Battle of Exogal, a new Supreme Leader takes Palpatine's place. As the Resistance faces this cunning new foe, Rey is comes to terms with Ben's departure. One-shot fix-it fic.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo
Comments: 13
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

The sound of mechanical breathing echoed throughout the chamber while a small band of high ranking military personnel watched nearby. Some were in awe; others, trepidation. And rightfully so - after all, many had heard the tales of this particular individual, but very few who were still alive to that day had ever been in the presence of Darth Vader.  
“You say it is I who am now in charge of the First Order,” Darth Vader spoke through his mask, a perfect replication of the one the real Vader had worn approximately forty years before.  
“Yes, Supreme Leader,” one of the generals said, conscientious of not using the word “Lord”. Darth Vader, even in clone form, deserved the highest of titles the First Order had to offer. “Darth Sidious perished in the Battle of Exegol four months prior. Therefore, we-“ The general began to choke as he suddenly levitated in the air.  
“And you waited this long to resurrect me?” Darth Vader asked angrily, dangling the man to prove a point. “If what you say is true, word of the Resistance and their allies’ victory has spread beyond the galaxy while the First Order has been left in shambles,”  
“We had no choice, Supreme Leader,” one of the other generals, a female, stepped in. “The cloning process for your resurrection had not yet been completed when the battle occurred, and even when it had there were tests that needed to be run,”  
“What kinds of tests?” Darth Vader asked, still not letting go of the other general.  
“Mainly standard procedures,” the woman said, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice, “Such as verifying your central nervous system was functioning as it should. Among those required for any clone, there were other more…shall we say, ‘innovate’… measures that needed to be fulfilled,”  
“Such as?”  
The woman swallowed. “You are as you were forty years ago,” the woman said, “The only exception is an emotional modification that enabled the removal of compassion. The Vader that first came into this world had too much Anakin in him; the love of his son was his downfall. You, the Vader that was created, will not view the Skywalker lineage in the same way,”  
“You speak of the mother on Tatooine,” Darth Vader said, “And Padme, along with Luke and Leia,”  
“Yes,”  
Darth Vader let the choking general crumple to the floor, then was silent for a moment. “It as if they are a dream,” Vader said, “From long ago, one that has almost been forgotten with time. Their lives and their deaths mean nothing to me,” Vader looked around the room at the tubes of other clones being created. “What does concern me is the array of replicas Darth Sidious felt the need to create,”  
“He claimed it was to ensure the survival of the First Order,” the female general said.  
Vader turned to look at the Spaarti cloning cylinder furthest away. Reaching out with his hand, he clenched it into a fist, cracking the tubular glass as he did so. Half of the cylinder smashed to the floor, along with a partially-formed copy of Snoke.  
“There will be no more clones of those empowered by the Force,” Vader said. “To continue creating life in this way is duplicitous. It does not make the First Order stronger, but merely proves our scientific advantages. It also enables the opportunity for a usurper, which I will not tolerate. See to it that clones of this nature are destroyed.  
“Furthermore,” Darth Vader towered over the generals as he stood, “You have the one true Darth Vader among you now,”


	2. Chapter 2

The imbalance in the Force was unnerving.  
Rey was aware of a disturbance ever since Palpatine died on Exogal. After all, her grandfather had contained all the Sith, and she the Jedi. To leave one of them alive and not the other had tipped the scale. But this sudden resurgence…it was something more.  
Rey voiced her concerns to the leaders of the Resistance, who had taken heed and put preliminary measures in place. While her faith in their military preparedness was secure, her confidence in what she should do as a Jedi was somewhat absent. She yearned to speak to another Jedi or Force-sensitive individual about the uneasiness she felt, but she had no one to turn to. Sure, there was always Luke or Leia, but she had not seen their spirits since she departed Tatooine.  
And Ben? Well…Rey had yet to see him since he’d given his life for hers.  
Sitting cross-legged on her bunk, Rey opened a sack that contained her oldest belongings and sifted through until she found her pilot doll. Rey looked at it in awe, still amazed she’d been able to retrieve it from Jakku years after Finn’s and her hasty escape in the Falcon.  
Scavenging had not been an easy life, but she had known what to do: scavenge for items, sell them for food, and wait until her parents’ return. But here, the lone Jedi amongst an organization that had overthrown the First Order, the path was not always clear.  
A knock outside the small sleeping quarters pulled Rey from her thoughts. “Come in,”  
The door opened slowly, revealing her closest friend. “Now a bad time?” Finn asked.  
“Not at all,” Rey set the doll aside. “As a matter of fact, I welcome the distraction,” While it was true she was the only Jedi among the Resistance, she knew she was not alone. With friends like Finn and Poe, she never was.  
“Is something on your mind?” Finn asked, a look of concern on his face.  
“We’re the Resistance,” Rey gave a wan smile, “When do we not have something on our minds?” Then, with a sigh, she said “It’s that feeling again, as if something dark is coming our way,”  
“Do you think it’s getting closer?”  
Rey shook her head. “I don’t know,”  
“Whatever it is, we’ll be ready when it arrives,” Finn said assuredly. “With our ships loaded and blasters ready,”  
“If only it were that easy,” Rey said. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling. You are the one who visited me, not the other way around. How are you?”  
Finn rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. “Poe’s keeping us busy,” he replied. “These large groups of First Order sympathizers keep popping up around the galaxy, some even on the outskirts of the Unknown Regions. Lieutenant Connix just received a mission herself,”  
“Any idea if Poe plans to send me on any of these missions?”  
“Not that I know of,” Finn said. “He’s been sending mostly ground troops, though Jannah is among them,”  
Finn looked at the ground, as if searching for his next sentence on the floor. Noticing this behavior, Rey asked, “I guess this is my turn to ask if something is on your mind?”  
Finn was silent, but after a moment he asked, “Do you remember when we were sinking in the quicksand in Pasaana and I said there was something I never got to tell you?”  
Rey thought back to that moment, recalling Finn’s words, along with mouthfuls of hot desert sand. “I do,”  
Finn shifted in his seat. “Rey, what I wanted to tell you is…I care about you. And more than just in the we’re-buddies-who-fight-the-First-Order-side-by-side way. The truth is I’ve cared about you ever since the day I met you, and it’s only grown stronger from there. I know I’m telling you this out of the blue and that you may not feel the same way, but in that moment in the quicksand when I thought we were going to die…I wanted you to know,”  
Now it was Rey’s turn to search for a response. Of course, she had suspected Finn had tender feelings towards her from time to time, but the last few years in the Resistance had not been kind for budding romances. The violence caused by the First Order was constantly pulling members of the Resistance in different directions, she and Finn among them. In such a fast-paced environment, Rey had not dwelled on the idea of romance. But once in a while, in the middle of the night when she was left alone with her thoughts, she had…but it had always been about the dark-haired son of Leia and Han.  
With the exception of the spirits of Luke and Leia, Rey hadn’t told anyone about her short-lived romance with Ben, not even those closest to her. When recalling her battle with Palpatine to the Resistance she made sure to include how Ben fought by her side, but she’d purposefully left out the kiss they shared. There was no way Finn or Poe could possibly understand what it was like to not only witness someone return to the light, but also sacrifice one’s life for the other.  
“Now that it’s out in the open, I have to know,” Finn asked quietly, “Do you share any similar feelings for me?”  
Rey could feel her heart breaking in her chest. “You’re my closest friend Finn,” she said, “The closest I’ve ever had…that I’ll ever have. But I’m afraid the love I feel for you is not in that way,” It hurt to admit this to Finn, but she could never lie in his arms when her heart was tied to another.  
Finn nodded. “It’s okay,” he said. “I know I brought this up spur-of-the-moment as well. It’s just that I’d begun to say it on Pasaana, si I figured you deserved to know the truth,”  
The truth. Rey felt as if her stomach was in knots. There was so much truth Finn didn’t know.  
As Finn stood up to leave, Rey suddenly admitted “The thing is, there was another,”  
Finn turned, visibly confused. “Another what?”  
Rey’s mind raced. Should she tell him about Ben? If she did, would he ever look at her with the same admiration again, or would it be disgust for loving someone most of the galaxy considered a monster?  
“Another man I loved,”  
“Was it someone in the Resistance?” Finn asked. Then, trying to ease the tension, joked “It wasn’t Poe, is it?”  
The comment made Rey smile-a genuine smile she hadn’t experienced in a long time. “No,”  
“Someone back on Jakku?”  
“No,” Rey said. “It was someone I lost to the war,”  
Finn’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, I had no idea. Was it someone I knew?”  
Rey tried to speak, but Ben’s name clung in her throat as tears welled in her eyes. She knew after Finn’s confession that he of all people deserved to know what happened between her and Ben. She just hoped she wouldn’t lose the most wonderful friendship she ever had in the process.  
“Rey, are you all right?”  
“Yes,”, Rey said, “It’s just-”  
The sound of sirens blasted through the corridors, blaring in sync with red lights that blinked imminent danger.  
“They’ve found us,” Finn said, “The enemy has finally found one of our bases,”  
Slinging the sack of her personal belongings over her shoulders, Rey grabbed her blaster and unhitched the lightsaber on her belt.  
“Come with me,” she said. “We’ll ride in the Falcon with Lando,”


	3. Chapter 3

“Chewie,” Rey spoke into her comlink, “Meet us at the Falcon,”  
“Aruuugh!”  
“You’re already there?” Rey asked as she and Finn rounded a corner. “Very well, we’re almost at the docking bay, Finn and I will be there in less than a minute,” She switched off the comlink as they turned another corner, only to be met by a group of five stormtroopers.  
“Less than a minute, huh?” Finn asked as he drew his blaster.  
“Yes,” Rey ignited her newly constructed lightsaber, “And I intend to keep my word,”  
The air was a hiss of red and orange as Rey and Finn made way through the corridor, Rey deflecting blasts as Finn took on the offensive. True to Rey’s word, they arrived at the dock in no time.  
Amongst the chaos of pilots hurrying to board their X-wings, Finn and Rey easily spotted the Falcon amongst the Resistance ships.  
“Need a lift?” Lando shouted when they were within earshot.  
“Always appreciated,” Finn said as the two climbed aboard.  
“Chewie and I are in the cockpit,” Lando said. “Rey, can you handle the gun well?”  
“Of course,”  
“Good. Finn, join us in the cockpit, we’ll need another set of eyes,”  
Side-stepping a number of unsettled porgs, Rey climbed into the gun well as the Falcon prepared for takeoff. From her vantage point she could see Poe and BB-8 take off in their X-wing, blasting past a number of stormtroopers as they veered off the platform and launched into the atmosphere. Rey let out a sigh of relief-one less person and droid to worry about.  
Clearing their way through the bay, the Falcon carved it’s way into the open and through the atmosphere. After a short lightspeed jump to clear themselves from the remaining First Order troops, the small group set to work in the Falcon, Rey and Finn using comlinks to connect with their fellow Resistance members while Chewbacca and Lando fed the individuals’ coordinates into a datapad.  
“About half of those who checked in are closeby, near the rendezvous cluster in the lower mid rim,” Lando said.  
Rey peered at the datapad Lando was holding. “Based on the squadron ships I saw at our base, I doubt the stormtroopers have the technology to follow our jump. We shouldn’t delay in meeting at the rendezvous point. About how long will it take to get there?  
Lando tapped the screen. “Approximately five hours,” he replied.  
“Was there any substantial damage done to the ship?” Finn asked. Chewbacca growled a negative.  
“Then I think we should set course,” Rey said. “Once we have regrouped we’ll be able to collectively decide the next step,”  
“I agree,” Lando said. “Though before we set course, there is one thing I should mention,”  
Rey raised her eyebrows. “What’s that?”  
“It’s probably best if I show you,” Lando walked over to one of the storage closets and opened the latch, revealing a white figure slumped inside.  
Finn sucked in his breath. “A stormtrooper. You brought one of the stormtroopers on board?”  
“Don’t worry, Chewbacca stunned him, he won’t be awake for another two hours,”  
“Why in all the galaxy would you bring him along?” Rey asked.  
“So we could question him,” Lando said. “Not every situation in life is fight or flight. Sometimes you have to resort to other options. And no, I don’t plan to hurt this low-level trooper…either he gives us the answers about how they found our base and why they were there, or not. Either way, when we’re done with him we drop him off at a populated planet of our choosing, then we’re back on our way to meet the others. Simple as that,”


	4. Chapter 4

Once the adrenaline from the escape wore off, fatigue began to settle in. Rey excused herself for a short rest in the sleeping quarters, asking the others to let her know if the stormtrooper awakened before she returned. While sleep came almost instantaneously, something awoke her a short time after. Feeling as though she were being watched, Rey kept her eyes closed while she reached out with the Force. Yes, someone was there…but at the same time, she was still the only one occupying the room. It was as if the life shimmered, fading in and out with every breath she took, or as if she was catching glimpses of something running through a wooded forest, there in fragments one moment and gone the next.  
Could it be one of the porgs? No, Rey thought, even the presence of an animal would be consistent. Rey mulled the options over, still not wanting whoever was there to know she was awake. Then, when realization hit her, Rey sat upright and opened her eyes.  
“Ben?”  
Sure enough, Ben Solo stood on the opposite end of the room. The blue glow from his figure lit the cramped quarters, giving an illusion that suggested he was a glowing planet in the middle of a starless galaxy.  
Rey pushed herself off the bunk and strode to close the distance between them. She reached out to touch his face, but her hand crossed the invisible threshold, touching only air instead.  
“I’m sorry,” Ben apologized, the pain apparent in his voice and eyes. “I didn’t want you to see me like this,”  
Rey nodded in understanding, trying to force down a lump that had suddenly emerged in her throat. “But you’re all right?”  
“Dying on Exegol didn’t hurt, if that’s what you’re asking,”  
“I’m sorry,” Rey said, “If I had known you’d given your life for mine-”  
Ben shook his head. “I don’t regret my decision. I would do it again if I had to,”  
“You didn’t deserve to die,”  
“I deserved worse after everything I’d done as Kylo Ren,” Ben said. “But if there are any wrongs I can right to atone for my actions even after my death, I will do them. Which is why I must speak with you,”  
Rey felt a twang of hurt. So this was merely some business call from beyond the grave? “Why here, and why now?” she asked. “I saw Luke and Leia back when I was on Tatooine; why didn’t I see you?”  
“I wanted to speak with you sooner,” Ben confessed, “Believe me, I did. But like I said, I didn’t want you to see me in this…form. Because I knew if you looked at me again the way you’re looking at me now, I would walk to kiss you, to give you anything and everything…” Ben waved his hand through a nearby crate, only to show it come through on the other side. “…but I can’t,”  
Ben’s words mirrored how Rey felt. It pained her to see him but not be able to hold or comfort him. They had shared one kiss, and one kiss only. “He may be with me,” Rey thought, “But we will never be together in that way again,”  
A determined look crossed Ben’s face, as if he suddenly remembered something. “Still, this doesn’t mean I can’t warn you of the danger that lies ahead,”  
The emptiness Rey felt was replaced with a chill that went down her spine. “What kind of danger?”  
Ben nodded in the direction of the storage closets. “Given the rank, I doubt the stormtrooper Lando brought aboard will be able to provide much in the way of details. But the soldier will know this much: Vader has returned, and he is coming for the Resistance,”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYSA, this chapter includes the OCs from the first chapter.

Ever since Vader’s return, Jaica had taken an interest in Imperial archives from forty years prior. She knew nobody would be dull enough to document their actual thoughts on the Force-sensitive rulers of the time (and if they had, the recordings AND their owners would be long gone by now), but she knew statistics were logged. What had Vader accomplished while he ruled? And, more directly related to her present situation, what was the turnover rate for military personnel under the Sith? It was no secret that anyone who upset Vader would end up a victim of some sort of altercation- she’d seen it with her own eyes when he lifted Bren with the Force and began strangling him in the air.  
What exactly had they brought back?  
Whether due to genetics or alterations in the cloning process, Vader had an acute memory as well. Jaica had only seen him in person during a few briefings, but he’d remembered who she was ever since she’d first stepped in to spare her coworker’s life. Of course, Vader remembered Bren as well, who made it a point to speak as little as possible during these briefings, and when he did he was confident the information he presented would not upset their leader.  
Jaica rubbed her temples. It had been relayed to a number of generals earlier that day that there was one Force-sensitive clone that had been transported off Exegol before Palpatine’s death, and that it was being shipped to Vader to deal with at his discretion. A meeting had been set for the next morning to inform Vader of this newfound information. You didn’t need to read minds via the Force to know Bren would be silent during that briefing.  
Switching off her datapad, Jaica stared at the numerous stars strewn across the black velvet sky. What exactly was the First Order hoping to accomplish by bringing back some of the most violent leaders the galaxy had ever known?


	6. Chapter 6

When the stormtrooper awoke in the Falcon he was, unsurprisingly, unsettled. Rey almost felt sorry for him- he looked younger than her or Finn. But despite the fear in his eyes, the trooper refused to offer any sort of useful information.  
“We were sent to gather any intel we could get our hands on and take prisoners,” was the trooper’s response.  
“What intel were you looking for?” Lando asked as he crossed his arms.  
“The useful kind,”  
Rey gave Lando a sideways glance. This was going nowhere. The trooper was likely withholding information, but she doubted it was anything substantial.  
“Or at least anything Ben hasn’t already told me,” Rey thought. She hadn’t had the chance to tell the others about Vader’s return. Then again, she would have to subsequently tell them how and why Ben visited her. And Finn…well, she wanted to tell Finn everything after he’d confessed his feelings for her on the Resistance base, but after an attack this didn’t seem like the opportune moment.  
Rey knelt so she was eye level with the bound trooper who sat on the floor. “I find it hard to believe a stormtrooper would go into a situation without having at least been briefed on something,” Rey said as she stared into his eyes. She would not prod around inside his head, opening doors that he refused to let her enter, like Kylo had when they’d first met. No, Rey would merely glance inside to see what was readily available in the man’s mind. Rey felt guilty for doing this (as it felt like an invasion of privacy), but she’d seen enough war to know that sometimes things had to be given up in order to preserve the greater good.  
To Rey’s relief, the trooper didn’t resist. He didn’t even know she was searching inside his head at all. Guided by the Force, Rey clung toward any pieces of information that could be of value.  
As she suspected, there wasn’t much to learn- the stormtroopers were deployed to gather intel from the base’s information systems. This trooper didn’t know if any information had been collected, as he hadn’t made it much further than the hanger before Chewbacca and Lando stunned him.  
Rey’s breath caught in her throat at the last bit of information she uncovered. The First Order didn’t know if Rey would be on that base, but the stormtroopers were given clear instructions that if she was found to bring her alive…to Darth Vader.  
Rey pulled back to the present. Sure enough, that was Vader she saw in the trooper’s mind, a dark being with a black mask set with seemingly soulless eyes. What Ben had told her was true- the First Order had succeeded in cloning the Sith Lord.  
“Tell them,” Rey said to the trooper, “Tell them who is in charge of the First Order,”  
The color seemed to drain from the trooper’s face. “I…I don’t see how that is relevant. Kylo Ren died, and Palpatine was killed a few months ago,”  
Rey narrowed her eyes. “This is every bit as relevant. The Resistance will find out sooner or later. Besides, it’s not like you’re betraying the First Order by giving away battle strategies,”  
“Not that you would know them anyway, given your rank,” Rey heard Finn mutter under his breath.  
The trooper threw his hands into the air. “Look,” he said exasperatedly, “They don’t tell us much. All I know is that we’re taking orders to gather intelligence from a clone of Darth Vader,”  
At the mention of Vader, Chewbacca let out a roar.  
“Darth Vader?” Lando repeated.  
“Yeah,” the trooper said. “Apparently Snoke wasn’t the only creation. They cloned some Force-sensitive people too,”  
“Who else did they clone?”  
The stormtrooper shrugged. “That’s above my paygrade,”  
Finn narrowed his eyes. “You sure about that?”  
“He’s telling the truth,” Rey said. “He doesn’t know anything else,”  
“Well, in that case…” Lando stunned the trooper from behind, knocking the First Order soldier out cold once again as Chewbacca growled his discontent at the entirety of the situation. “I agree,” Lando said. “Let’s drop this guy off at the next habitable planet with a cantina, then let’s regroup with the rest of the Resistance. They need to know what we’re up against,”


	7. Chapter 7

Jaica waited with the other generals in the hangar bay as the final Force-sensitive clone was delivered. Whoever it was had not been specified, and it’s appearance was obscured by alusteel protecting the Spaarti cloning cylinder. As Vader’s gaze followed the contraption while it was lowered from the ship, Jaica found herself wishing she could see his facial reaction behind the mask.  
“No,” Jaica mentally chided herself. “You must avoid such thoughts. For all you know Vader’s Force capabilities allow him to sense fear,” Yet another reason she disliked being in the same room with the Sith leader – she didn’t know the full extent of his power. In the end, nobody really did. But if Vader felt any animosity towards the general he didn’t show it as the tank was set on a repulsorlift and steered away.  
*  
The higher ranking officials congregated in the medical bay as droids began to peel back segments of the alusteel that protected the cylinder. As the uppermost section began to give way to glass that contained a floating specimen inside, Jaica could make out brown fur flowing in the liquid…or was it hair? Jaica strained her neck to get a better look.  
As the face came into view Jaica felt her breath catch. Wasn’t that the scavenger girl, the granddaughter of Palpatine?  
A murmur went through the room as realization hit the others. Meanwhile Vader remained motionless, staring at the cloned granddaughter of what had been his Master in the first life. Jaica expected him to crack the glass and kill the girl as he’d done with other clones upon his awakening; after all, Vader specifically stated he did not wish for there to be any other Force-sensitive replications. But if Vader wanted her dead, he would have killed her already. “No,” she thought, “Our leader sees something in this one,”  
As the last of the alusteel was removed, the question was finally posed aloud: “Supreme Leader, what shall we do with her?”  
Vader was silent, still contemplating his options. Then, after a moment, said “Release her,”


	8. Chapter 8

Once they’d detoured to drop the stunned stormtrooper off at a cantina, the Resistance members continued to the rendezvous point. Rey was relieved to see that not only Poe and BB-8 made it, but Rose, Jannah, Connix, and everyone else she knew, including the droids C-3PO and R2-D2. She was even surprised to see Zorii and Babu Frik among the group, who were conferring with Poe when they arrived.  
“Thank goodness,” Poe clasped Rey and Finn on the shoulders. “What took you guys so long?”  
“An unexpected visitor on the Falcon” Finn answered.  
Poe’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “A visitor?”  
“A stormtrooper to be exact,” Lando tossed the trooper’s comlink to Poe. “We learned more than we’d ever thought we would, and I’d wager we’ll learn more if you’re able to decrypt where the messages on this comlink were sent,”  
Poe handed the device to Babu Frik, who turned it over in his little hands. Giving a side glance at BB-8, he replied “I can decrypt, no trouble,”  
“Excellent,” Poe returned his gaze to his friends. “So, what did you find out from your ‘visitor’? He tell you why one of our bases was attacked out of the blue?”  
“It’s not so much why they were there, but who sent them,” Finn said.  
“Ok, who sent them?”  
Finn turned to Rey, who answered “Vader,”  
A look of shock crossed Poe’s face, but after a moment he replied “That’s impossible, Vader’s dead. Leia told me Luke saw him disappear and become one with the Force with his own eyes,”  
“It’s a clone,” Rey specified. “Apparently Snoke wasn’t the only being the First Order created,”  
Poe crossed his arms as a thousand thoughts ran through his head. Looking to the sky at the galaxy that lay beyond, he said “One maniac from the past comes back, then another takes his place,”  
“I remember times of Vader,” Babu Frik said somberly. “I was around. Much fear and oppression,”  
Finn tried to remain confident. “If the Resistance was able to defeat Palpatine, then we can defeat Vader as well. The Force has pulled us through many trying times, and I know it will do so again,”  
Rey held her tongue. While she had every confidence in the Resistance’s abilities to fight against whatever remained of the First Order, she knew it would not be easy. After all, when Rey fought Palpatine, she ended up losing her life…a cost that Ben ended up paying the price for.  
If Rey died at the hands of evil again, this time there would be no one to bring her back.


	9. Chapter 9

Decrypting the Stormtrooper’s comlink proved to be a success. A meeting was to be held to inform the leaders of the Resistance of the findings, but Finn sought out Rey to let her know beforehand.  
“The transmissions were sent to a ship orbiting near Aquilaris,” Finn explained. “We’ll need to confer with the others first, but Poe is going to suggest we eventually travel there to search for signs of the First Order,”  
“Which will likely put us in another battle,”  
“Most likely,” Finn agreed. “Poe’s also making sure you and I go in wearing armor,”  
Rey couldn’t argue with that. When she’d faced both Snoke and Palpatine she hadn’t worn any protective gear; this time around, she wouldn’t be so reckless.  
Mentally steadying herself, Rey searched for the words to continue where they’d left off during their last one-on-one conversation. “Finn,” she started, “About the last time we spoke…”  
“We don’t have to discuss it further if you don’t want to,” Finn said, recalling Rey’s pained expression when he’d inquired about who she’d loved and lost.  
“Thank you, though you of all people deserve to know who it was,” Rey said. “Finn, I was in love with Ben…Ben Solo,”  
Whatever answer Finn was expecting, it hadn’t been this. A look of stunned shock overtook his face. “How is that possible when you never spent time with him?” he asked. “I mean, you lived on Jakku, then you went to Ahch-To to meet Master Luke, and ever since then you’ve been partaking in missions with the Resistance. Not to mention I’ve seen you two battle each other with lightsabers twice,”  
“It started on Ahch-To,” Rey explained. “We became bonded through the Force. I could see Ben wherever he was, and he could see me. At first I loathed him-how could I look at him with anything but disgust after he’d killed Han? But I soon saw what was beyond the mask of Kylo Ren…someone who felt lost and alone, pushed over the edge by a deadly deed almost acted upon by his Master. And while I sat there on Ahch-To with a teacher who did not want me, I felt just as alone.  
“When Ben killed Snoke, I thought Kylo Ren was gone forever; instead, he took the title of Supreme Leader,” Rey thought back to the throne room. “He was taking a darkened path I would never follow. So I left,”  
“But that wasn’t the end of it,” Finn guessed, thinking of how she’d told the Resistance he’d fought by her side on Exegol.  
“I wounded him on Kef Bir,” Rey said. “He would have died had I not healed him the way I healed that sand worm. The next time I saw him was on Exegol, where he fought by my side against Palpatine,” Rey bit her lip, trying her hardest not to let her emotions spill over. “Finn, when we fought Palpatine, I died in that chamber. And Ben brought me back by trading his life for mine,”  
Finn’s face was a mixture of emotions, ranging from shock to pain. “I..I understand how he could be considered admirable after his actions on Exegol,” he finally said. “But for the life of me I cannot see how you ever chose him, not after all he’d done with the First Order,”  
“I don’t think words alone can ever express everything that happened,” Rey admitted.  
“But he was the ENEMY,” Finn suddenly burst out. “Need I remind you of all the terrible things the First Order has done across the galaxy? How I was taken away from my family to become a soldier in an army?”  
“That was not Ben’s doing,”  
“No, but he was guilty by association the moment he joined of his own free will,” Finn shook his head. “I can’t believe this…tell me you’re joking, please,”  
“Finn…I’m sorry,” It was all Rey was able to say.  
“Listen…I should go,” Finn said upon having trouble looking her in the eyes. “Poe will be calling the meeting soon, so you’ll want to keep your comlink nearby,” He left without another word.  
Rey felt her heart breaking, as if it was trying to tear its way out of her chest. And yet, at the same time, she didn’t blame Finn in the slightest for his reaction. He had not been there to witness what she had, nor had he been the one to experience Ben’s sacrifice.  
“You did the right thing by telling him,” Rey heard Ben say behind her. Turning, she saw his blue-tinted image standing behind her, a sympathetic expression on his face.  
“But at what cost?” Rey asked as she sat down on her cot.  
“It was the truth, and that is reason enough,”  
Rey looked at the door, still open after Finn’s departure. “I hope he will be able to forgive me,”  
“I may not know your friend well,” Ben said as he took a seat next to her, “But he doesn’t seem the type to hold grudges. He probably just needs time to take the information in,”  
“Maybe I should have told him sooner,” Rey mused aloud. “Explained what had happened after he and I reunited on Crait,”  
Rey felt something brush her shoulders. She winced, not sure what was happening, but realized Ben was placing a blanket around her shoulders.  
“Your fingers,” Rey suddenly gasped. “I can feel the outline of your hand through the blanket!”  
Ben paused, astonished at this revelation. “You can feel my touch?”  
“Not your touch per se,” Rey said, “Only the pressure you’ve applied from the blanket,”  
Rey wanted to find comfort in this newfound fact, but it only made her miss Ben more. She wanted him here to hold her while she touched his tangible body. But Ben’s spirit was in a realm she could not reach there while Rey remained in the physical galaxy, together yet on different layers of reality.  
The audio from Rey’s comlink crackled. “Attention,” Poe’s voice came from the device, “An emergency meeting will be held in exactly ten minutes. Please report to room A557 in Sector B,”  
“I’m sorry,” Rey apologized as she slowly rose to her feet. “I have to go,”  
Ben picked up the comlink with his translucent blue fingers and handed it to her. “Be careful,” he said. “You and the rest of the Resistance will be going up against things of which the galaxy has never seen before,”


	10. Chapter 10

Jaica watched the recording with fascination. After the generals had left Vader ordered the droids to drain the fluid from the Spaarti cylinder, leaving the clone of Palpatine’s granddaughter crumbled on the bottom. With the breathing apparatus still secured over her mouth and nose, the medical droids administered a drug to awaken the girl. After a few minutes of waiting, the girl opened her eyes.  
The general felt a shiver run down her spine. Even though the hologram was tinted blue, it was clear from the angle that this clone’s eyes were unlike the original scavengers. With differing shades and markings, she already had the eyes of a Sith.  
The girl made an attempt to stand by testing her legs, but having never previously walked she remained on the ground. Refusing to be deterred, she attempted a less physically demanding task by slowly extending her arm and flexing her fingers. Then, upon seeing Vader, the clone pressed her palm flat against the cylinder’s glass.  
“You have the mind and memories of the granddaughter,” Vader said in acknowledgement of the girls’ mental capacity, “But this new body will require strengthening,”  
The girl tried to respond, but her words were unintelligible. “Likely from having that breathing apparatus on for who knows how long,” Jaica decided.  
“The droids will see to your physical needs regarding your strength,” Vader said. “Once this has been completed, there will be much you and I will need to discuss,”


	11. Chapter 11

“The planet Aquilaris is comprised primarily of water,” Poe addressed the Resistance. “What was once seen as an exotic vacation planet eventually became known for pod-racing. While the planet has seen better days prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire, it is still inhabited.  
“That being said, we have evidence that First Order transmissions were sent to a ship near Aquilaris. What’s more is that our allies noted a number of comings and goings from the planet’s atmosphere,” Poe crossed his arms. “We need to find out what the First Order is up to. The Resistance can’t afford another surprise attack, especially with Vader now at the helm of the operation,”  
Rey nodded in agreement. She knew remnants of the First Order were likely to resonate throughout the galaxy for years to come. But if they had another powerful figure from the Galactic era uniting the cause, there was sure to be more bloodshed under such unified control.  
“We’re sending the Challenger Squadron for reconnaissance in three days time,” Poe gave a quick glance at his friends, “And we’re prepared to send additional personnel if necessary,”  
“We’ll be ready,” Finn replied confidently.  
Rey glanced at Finn. She was still distressed regarding how they ended their conversation, but she was trying to not let her feelings interfere with the matter at hand. “It will work out in the end,” she told herself, “You’ll see,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Aquilaris exists in the Star Wars universe (albiet Legends). You may have played the level in the 1999 "Star Wars Episode I: Racer" game.


	12. Chapter 12

The clone would not speak. Examinations conducted by droids indicated the girl was fine medically. It’s not that she couldn’t vocalize words-she just chose not to.  
Vader didn’t seem to mind; he communicated with the clone of Palpatine’s granddaughter via the Force. But for anyone who wasn’t Force-sensitive (which is to say everyone else in the First Order), the situation could be not only confusing, but unnerving.  
“Just complete the job successfully on the first try,” Jaica told the officers, “And you need not fear any repercussions,”  
While this was easier said than done, Jaica felt the impact of her own words when Bren delivered her some positive news.  
“We just received a transmission from Aquilaris,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. “We found what Vader has been searching for,”


	13. Chapter 13

Rey never considered if ghosts paced back and forth with worry, but Ben proved this was possible.  
“It doesn’t make sense,” Ben said. “As a spirit I can travel anywhere in the universe to see anything I wish, save for a blindness to shifting areas of a Star Destroyer Vader’s on. What’s more, how come there are pockets of these same empty fragments on Aquilaris?”  
“Perhaps it’s somehow obscured by the dark side of the Force,” Rey suggested.  
Ben shook his head. “I don’t believe this is the case since I don’t sense any darkness. It almost feels as though whatever is hidden is being protected by a natural, neutrally balanced Force,” Ben sat down. “I’ve heard the First Order speak of another clone, but I have yet to find anyone who fits that nature. Either I have not encountered the clone when I’ve looked into the First Order’s whereabouts, or that is one of the things being hidden,”  
Rey wanted to take Ben’s hand reassuringly in hers, but all she could do was sit down next to him. “You’ve done a lot for us,” she said. “After all, you were the one who informed me of Vader’s return. Without that knowledge I doubt any of us in the Resistance would have found out until it was too late,”  
“It’s the least I could do,”  
Rey placed her hand on his, her flesh intertwining with the blue outline. “You deserve to be at rest, not fighting wars of the living,”  
Ben looked down where his ethereal skin contrasted with her physical hand. “No,” he replied, “Not yet. Not until I know Vader is gone and cannot harm you or anyone in this galaxy,” A look of sadness then crossed over Ben. “A part of me knows I am being selfish in that I keep visiting you instead of letting our paths divert, but…at the same time, the other part of me doesn’t want our visits to end,”  
Rey felt the same. She resented the notion that that they needed to go forward on their own paths-hers in life, his in death-without being tied to each other. But for now, as the galaxy felt like it was starting to crumble around them all over again, she drew comfort in that he was still by her side.


End file.
